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Topic: Who came up with this useless product? (Read 84698 times)

My current rant: five-bladed razors. I know why razor companies want us to buy them: they're more expensive than regular razors, but you've got to replace the heads constantly because you use them twice and then they're all gunked up and there's no way to clean them out properly! I want a normal two-bladed razor but with an ergonomic handle; is that too much to ask?

So while I was fuming about my razor in the shower I got curious about what other inventions/products drive y'all nuts and you wonder why they're on the market at all

I droll over kitchen gadgets, and yet, when I break down and buy one, I usually find that they are more trouble than they are worth and will return to doing whatever task it is the same old way I always have....

For example:Egg separators (still just use the two halves of the newly divided egg shell)Garlic presses (just squish it through the fashioned one)Corn cutters (currently up to 4 different varieties, yet I still just use a very sharp knife)Fancy-schmancy can openers ( the old cheapie that I have had for years still works best)

I have no tolerance for multi- blade razors. In fact, I use a vintage safety razor...with atomic age stars on it!

I can't believe they market so many different tabletop grills, George foreman, waffle irons, "donut" makers, pie presses, sandwich grills.... Why not one appliance with interchangeable plates? Oh yeah, gotta make people buy more stuff...

Based on a lot of reading I've done over a relatively long period of time, plus my own very recent experience...modern-day shampoo.

Seriously, if everything I've read about sodium lauryl sulfate is even half true, who decided it would be a good idea to put that stuff in all of our shampoo (and soap)? It isn't necessary for getting one's hair clean (all it really does is suds up and strip necessary oils), and it can be seriously damaging. I don't need to use an ingredient intended for dish soap on anything but dishes!

Totally with you on the 5-bladed razors, how does that help? Surely any more than 3 isn't adding any benefit.

We have a product here in Australia that was launched with a big ad campaign last year. Its a fancy automatic dispenser for antibacterial soap that has one of those sensors so you don't have to touch a pump, just put your hand under the spout. It was adverstised as being great for families etc and preventing the spread of bacteria as you won't be picking up bugs left on the soap dispenser by other people.

They seem to be completely ignoring the fact that the very first thing you do after dispensing the soap is use it to wash your hands, thereby removing said bacteria. They managed to convince a lot of people to buy it, but at $20 each, what a rip off!

I love 5-bladed razors. I get serious razor burn pretty much every time I shave with most razors, and it's about five times worse for every extra swipe I have to do. With a 5-bladed razor and plain hair conditioner, I can get my legs shaved almost perfectly without having to go back over anything, the blade doesn't get gunked up, and the razor burn is much better.

I think at least some George Foremans now come with plates you can switch out now, but I'm not sure. I use mine almost exclusively for grilling chicken, so a fancier one would be a waste for me.

I do have the same feelings about those soap dispensers. I think germ-fear is completely over the top these days anyway (I won't have antibacterial soap in my house), and soap dispensers don't need skin contact to collect all kinds of horrible bacteria to store up in the nozzle.

Who thought up those weird packets that individual Zyrtec come in? I swear I curse and fumble with those more then I do at video games.

And who was the genius at Apple who decided that I only need a tiny USB cable to charge my phone with? Outlets are at a premium and I need to have my phone by my bed as an alarm. I mean could they spare an extra foot or so for the phones? Every other phone cord I've had has been of a comfortable length.

My current rant: five-bladed razors. I know why razor companies want us to buy them: they're more expensive than regular razors, but you've got to replace the heads constantly because you use them twice and then they're all gunked up and there's no way to clean them out properly! I want a normal two-bladed razor but with an ergonomic handle; is that too much to ask?

So while I was fuming about my razor in the shower I got curious about what other inventions/products drive y'all nuts and you wonder why they're on the market at all

Yours only has five blades? How "last year"!

About the gunk: I discovered that your "Water-Pik"-style powered teeth cleaner makes a wonderful razor gunk blaster (be sure to tap the razor dry after use, water dulls blades too). And once you've filled it up to clean your razor ... you might as well clean your teeth with it, and I know everyone always puts that off too. Two improvements in one!

Totally with you on the 5-bladed razors, how does that help? Surely any more than 3 isn't adding any benefit.

We have a product here in Australia that was launched with a big ad campaign last year. Its a fancy automatic dispenser for antibacterial soap that has one of those sensors so you don't have to touch a pump, just put your hand under the spout. It was adverstised as being great for families etc and preventing the spread of bacteria as you won't be picking up bugs left on the soap dispenser by other people.

They seem to be completely ignoring the fact that the very first thing you do after dispensing the soap is use it to wash your hands, thereby removing said bacteria. They managed to convince a lot of people to buy it, but at $20 each, what a rip off!

They have those in the US too! I just haaaaaaad to run out and buy one! In my defense, mine was on sale.

I have no tolerance for multi- blade razors. In fact, I use a vintage safety razor...with atomic age stars on it!

I can't believe they market so many different tabletop grills, George foreman, waffle irons, "donut" makers, pie presses, sandwich grills.... Why not one appliance with interchangeable plates? Oh yeah, gotta make people buy more stuff...

My George Foreman has a number of different plates that you can use to make different items. Sadly, storing all the plates takes up about as much room as another one or two of the tabletop grills. They don't stack easily or in order at all!!

They make five blade razors now? I had no idea - just goes to show you how behind the times I am. I'm old enough to remember when the double blade was new. I also remember a joke commercial on Saturday Night Live (way way back when the show was NEW) advertising a three blade razor. Making fun of the double blade but really, the silliness of a three blade...? We've come a long way baby.

Lowspark, you beat me to it - the classic SNL commercial advertising a razor with 3 blades. It was seen as hysterically ridiculous. SNL also predicted the IPad - but a completely different sort of pad, if you get my drift.

I find many kitchen gadgets useless - a good knife will do most things. Other dumb things - paper cup dispensers for household bathrooms - waste much? , 'lip stencils' - just fill in with lipstick for a perfect look! (Except that, surely, everyone's lips are different?) Most items on infomercials - the Snuggy and the Slanket. Really?

Based on a lot of reading I've done over a relatively long period of time, plus my own very recent experience...modern-day shampoo.

Seriously, if everything I've read about sodium lauryl sulfate is even half true, who decided it would be a good idea to put that stuff in all of our shampoo (and soap)? It isn't necessary for getting one's hair clean (all it really does is suds up and strip necessary oils), and it can be seriously damaging. I don't need to use an ingredient intended for dish soap on anything but dishes!

I would add to this conditioner with silicone in it (best analogy for that is painting over peeling paint) and most modern "hygiene" practices in general. Many of us don't need to shower every day, and we definitely don't need to wash our hair and skin with detergents on a daily basis. Nor do most of us need antibacterial everything considering we have functioning immune systems.

I saw an ad from the 50s yesterday that said "To keep hygienic, wash hair more often - every 10 days at a minimum but once a week for extra clean!" I've actually adopted this practice - on average I go 5-7 days between washings but I've stretched it to 10. My scalp produces less oily so it doesn't look greasy and my hair is in great condition. Brushing the natural oils through it every day actually makes it very shiny and lustrous.

And who was the genius at Apple who decided that I only need a tiny USB cable to charge my phone with? Outlets are at a premium and I need to have my phone by my bed as an alarm. I mean could they spare an extra foot or so for the phones? Every other phone cord I've had has been of a comfortable length.

POD! I mean, have you ever tried to answer your phone when it's charging? You end up on the floor and/or contorted just so you won't pull it out of the socket!